This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
In a move that could further aggravate efforts by the Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants, several Democratic state lawmakers are pushing forward a bill that would make it illegal for bail bond recovery agents—aka bounty hunters—to enforce civil immigration laws.
Senate Bill 5714, sponsored by Senator Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, aims to keep bounty hunters in their lane and prevent them from moonlighting as immigration officers.
The bill, which had its first hearing in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Monday, would classify civil immigration enforcement as “unprofessional conduct” for bail bond agents and recovery agents. In other words, bounty hunters who try to play ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) could face fines, suspensions, or even lose their licenses.
“You know, sometimes we drop a simple bill to do a simple thing,” Senator Trudeau told the Senate committee during the bill’s hearing. “And this bill very simply clarifies what is within the bounds of the bail bonding profession licensed by the state of Washington.”
Bounty hunters, not border patrol
The move comes after reports surfaced of a Tacoma-based bail bondsman allegedly boasting at a community event in Sunnyside that they were continuing to work with ICE, despite state policies intended to limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The Washington State Bail Agents Association has since clarified that the individual in question was not a licensed bail bondsman, but the incident still raised alarms.
Bail bond recovery agents are private contractors who track down people who have skipped bail. Their job is to bring fugitives back to face justice. Senator Trudeau wants to make it clear that bounty hunters in Washington are not here to enforce federal immigration laws.
“This is about ensuring people trust the processes that we put in place,” Trudeau said. “They need to know that when they engage with the legal system, they will be treated properly and fairly.”
At the Washington committee hearing, concerns were raised about the lack of formal training required for bail bond agents compared to law enforcement officers.
“To complete the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, you have to complete about 19 weeks or 700-plus hours,” noted Senator Nikki Torres, R-Yakima Valley, who supports the bill. “For bail bond recovery agents, it’s about 32 hours… so they’re pretty much a glorified bill collector.”
Under current law, bounty hunters in Washington are already restricted in several ways. They can’t impersonate police officers, misuse collateral, or fail to maintain proper records. The proposed legislation would add another restriction: they cannot use their role to execute civil immigration warrants or share a defendant’s immigration status outside of their business.
Supporters of the bill argue that civil immigration enforcement is strictly a federal matter and that bail bond agents should not be getting involved.
Protecting defendants’ rights
Another key provision in the bill would prevent bail bond agents from disclosing a defendant’s immigration status to outside parties. This measure is meant to ensure that people who are arrested and seeking bail aren’t further entangled in immigration proceedings just because a private contractor decided to act as an informant.
Immigrant rights groups, legal advocates, and faith leaders testified in favor of SB 5714, arguing that allowing bounty hunters to engage in immigration enforcement creates a climate of fear that discourages crime reporting and erodes trust in the justice system.
Kristen Ang, policy director for the Faith Action Network, told committee members that “immigration enforcement should remain with trained federal authorities, not private actors seeking profit.”
Advocates also drew parallels between SB 5714 and Washington’s 2020 ‘Courts Open to All Act,’ which barred court employees and government workers from sharing immigration information.
“By no means should the bail bond process provide a barrier to accessing courts because of fear of immigration repercussions,” said Jason Lance of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Opposition and comparisons with other states
Opponents of the bill may argue that bounty hunters should be able to cooperate with law enforcement however they see fit.
While Washington state is considering legislation to prevent bounty hunters from picking up undocumented immigrants, other states are taking a markedly different approach. Notably, Mississippi and Missouri have introduced proposals that would empower bounty hunters to actively participate in immigration enforcement.
In Mississippi, House Bill 1484 aimed to establish the “Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program,” offering certified individuals a $1,000 reward for apprehending undocumented immigrants. This initiative sought to deputize private citizens to track and detain undocumented individuals, effectively placing a bounty on their heads. However, the bill faced significant legal and political challenges and ultimately failed to advance, missing the February 4, 2025, legislative deadline.
Similarly, Missouri lawmakers have proposed legislation that would allow bounty hunters to detain undocumented immigrants and offer financial incentives for tips leading to such arrests.
Trudeau emphasized that Washington has drawn a clear “line in the sand” with Washington, D.C.
“In this Washington, we won’t tolerate any violations of state law and policy that we have passed to protect all Washington residents from inappropriate communication with ICE,” Trudeau said.
A committee vote on the bill has been scheduled for Thursday, February 20th, at 10:30 a.m.
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